


the counting of dances

by paperiuni



Series: Trifles from Thedas [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff, Stolen Moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 19:18:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4491591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperiuni/pseuds/paperiuni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cassandra is pinned, but Josephine has a plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the counting of dances

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mustachioedoctopus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mustachioedoctopus/gifts).



> Prompt fic from tumblr, posted here for the sake of archiving.
> 
> Prompt: Cassandra x Josephine, "giggly kiss"

"Can you imagine, my dear Lady Pentaghast?" said the Comtesse of Val Strewn-With-Orlesian-Sibilants for the third time. Cassandra straightened valiantly. The Summerday heat seeped into her formal layers in inescapable rivulets of sweat, and the comtesse insisted on standing in the sunniest spot of the garden.

"Clear as day, Your Ladyship."

"The utter gall of that little libertine," the comtesse puffed. "Lionising that buffoon, Arl Hinderwell, in my birthday poem."

"A tragedy, I am sure." Cassandra wished for the comforting weight of her sword and scabbard. Not to draw the blade but as a counterbalance to all this frippery. Such were the toils of peacetime. An unfortunate minstrel fanning the flames of an ancient feud between two middling noble families.

"And his fumbles with the rhyming--oh, greetings, my lady ambassador."

Cassandra drew a covert, hopeful breath as the comtesse swept around to nod her head to Josephine. Josephine, arresting in an open-necked gown of traditional Summerday green, the familiar glint of amber dragonscale at her ears, smiled in return.

"Your Ladyship. I must beg your pardon, but I should like to borrow Seeker Pentaghast for a moment, if I may."

 _Andraste's tears, you may_ , Cassandra thought.

Smoothly, Josephine guided the comtesse's eye towards a lutist tuning her instrument on a stone bench, in preparation of the dancing soon to begin. "By way of reparation--we have a most promising young artist with us tonight. Margery of Rainesmere, who has great hopes of finding a patron in Val Royeaux itself."

"Ah. Your taste is known to be impeccable, Lady Montilyet."

"You flatter me, of course," said Josephine, and in the same gentle motion curtsied to the comtesse and looped her fingers through Cassandra's elbow. Turning at her tug, Cassandra opened her mouth to inquire about her interruption.

Josephine's mouth was set in an impish little crook. She drew Cassandra past the clustered guests and through the gallery hemming the garden. An iron-shod maplewood door led to a stairway from there, and Cassandra followed.

They paused at a slit window, midway up the stairs. Josephine pressed Cassandra to the stone wall, her soft, bare arms around Cassandra's neck, and burst into laughter.

Cassandra held her close with a single eyebrow raised in inquiry. "I see my plight amuses you."

"Only a little, dear heart."

"So much you had to drag me away so you could laugh at me freely."

Josephine kissed her. Cupping the back of her neck beneath the pinned coils of her hair, Cassandra tasted her laughter, smelled the lavender in her hair. In the end, when she could no longer contain the chortle straining her chest, she had to break the kiss to muffle her own mirth on Josephine's temple.

"Well," Josephine said, "I'll admit I wanted to steal a moment. They've been so few."

Cassandra nodded. This was ever true, and especially so lately, with the coming of summer and the wakening of trade and negotiations.

"But?"

"The comtesse is in need of a new minstrel, and Leliana in need of an agent in her town. Margery is very promising, in music and in intrigue."

"And you let her drone on at me until there was an opportune moment."

Josephine stroked a thumb against Cassandra's cheek. "I'm hoping to make amends tonight, if my lady will agree to whisk me away."

"How many dances do you wish me to wait?" Cassandra hadn't quite meant to, but she squeezed Josephine a little closer.

"Eight?" Josephine said cautiously. Cassandra kissed her again, to more laughter, the clear sound of Josephine's giggles and her own huskier chuckles carrying up the stairwell.

"Six?"

"Seven," Josephine sighed. "Let's say seven. Perhaps I can wait that long."


End file.
